Sons of Dubawi Shine at Tattersalls December Foal Sale

It took a long time for the fog to lift above Park Paddocks, seemingly an appropriate meteorological metaphor to describe racing's wider uncertainties as the statistics rumbled along beneath what would usually be expected for the premier day of foal offerings. 

Step forward the potent combination of two sons of Dubawi, one of which became the equal second-highest-priced colt ever bought at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale, with both knocked down to Anthony Stroud and Godolphin for combined receipts of 1.3 million guineas within only a few minutes.

The 2.5 million guineas paid for Padua's Pride, the brother of multiple group 1 winner Generous, back in 1997 is a mark that shredded most others in bloodstock, but the 700,000 guineas (US$981,685) for Airlie Stud's half brother (Lot 939) to champion juvenile Skitter Scatter, followed by 600,000 ($841,444) guineas for a colt consigned by Fittocks Stud and a few other hefty transactions in an early evening flurry Nov. 27, pulled the session average far closer to its now regular six-figure mark.

Stroud spoke after buying the top lot, out of the Street Cry mare Dane Street.

"In all these decisions, we're always trying to aim for quality, and this is a horse David (Loder) and I really loved," he said. "He comes from a great nursery and is obviously by Dubawi, who we absolutely love."

Fittocks, the Newmarket operation of Luca and Sara Cumani, consigned Lot 944 on behalf of Hoppegarten racecourse owner Gerhard Schoeningh out of his High Chaparral mare Baisse, and Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin has been back for more since tasting victory in Australia with her earlier foal Best Of Days.

"She's actually the only mare he has. She boards with us," Sara Cumani explained. "The 2-year-old sister Summerland is with Charlie Appleby, and the yearling (by Nathaniel) is called Beau Rivage. The owner hasn't decided where she's going into training yet. She's in foal to Frankel and going to Sea The Moon.

"We're delighted with where she's gone and just thrilled to be here at the sale."

Frankel topped last year's sale with the 600,000 guineas ($813,389) colt out of the top-class Simple Verse, and the champion's breeder, Juddmonte, went close to eclipsing that when taking another of his sons for 550,000 guineas ($771,324). A half brother to this year's Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes (G2) winner, Alkumait, he was another dream result for breeders Whitsbury Manor Stud.

"I am so pleased Juddmonte have got him. It's going to be so satisfying seeing him in the pink and green," said Whitsbury's Ed Harper.

By close of play, the Day 3 year-on-year aggregate was down just 4% to 16,297,000 guineas ($22,916,719), and the average of 87,618 guineas ($121,252) dipped 12% from last year's 100,012 guineas.

The median had fallen 8% to 59,000 guineas ($79,937) from 65,000 guineas, but the clearance rate of 87% was a good improvement from last year's 81.